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The Oxford Comment

Oxford University Press

Oxford University Press’s academic insights for the thinking world combine authority, innovation, and excellence. On Soundcloud, we’re sharing audio resources for students, scholars, and researchers.
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The Role of DNA Research in Society – Episode 71 – The Oxford Comment
The Role of DNA Research in Society – Episode 71 – The Oxford Comment
Apr 25 2022
50 mins
The Role of DNA Research in Society – Episode 71 – The Oxford Comment
The Role of DNA Research in Society – Episode 71 – The Oxford Comment
On today’s episode, we’re commemorating National DNA Day in the United States by considering the role that DNA plays in our society. First, we welcome Amber Hartman Scholz, co-author of the article “Myth-busting the provider-user relationship for digital sequence information”, looking at how genetic resources are actually used and shared across the globe. We discuss … Continue reading The Role of DNA Research in Society – Episode 71 – The Oxford Comment →
Apr 25 2022
50 mins
Women’s Economic Empowerment, Past and Future – Episode 70 – The Oxford Comment
Women’s Economic Empowerment, Past and Future – Episode 70 – The Oxford Comment
On today’s episode of The Oxford Comment, we discussed the global and historical implications of women, work, and economic empowerment. First, we welcomed Laura M. Argys and Susan L. Averett, the authors of Women in the Workforce: What Everyone Needs to Know®, to share their research on women’s growing role in the workforce and the … Continue reading Women’s Economic Empowerment, Past and Future – Episode 70 – The Oxford Comment →
Mar 29 2022
1 hr 2 mins
The Color Line: Race and Education in the United States – Episode 69 – The Oxford Comment
The Color Line: Race and Education in the United States – Episode 69 – The Oxford Comment
Black History Month celebrates the achievements of a globally marginalized community still fighting for equal representation and opportunity in all areas of life. This includes education. In 1954, the United States’ Supreme Court ruled “separate but equal” unconstitutional for American public schools in “Brown v. Board of Education.” While this ruling has been celebrated as … Continue reading The Color Line: Race and Education in the United States – Episode 69 – The Oxford Comment →
Feb 22 2022
1 hr 1 min
Holiday Cheer – Episode 68 – The Oxford Comment
Holiday Cheer – Episode 68 – The Oxford Comment
As we approach the end of 2021, we can look back at the previous two years of restrictions, lockdowns, COVID tests and vaccination lines, not to mention all the political strife… or we can look to the unknown, ahead to the new year. But let us pause for a moment and enjoy the now: a … Continue reading Holiday Cheer – Episode 68 – The Oxford Comment →
Dec 21 2021
45 mins
COVID-19 and Mental Health: Where do we go from here? – Episode 67 – The Oxford Comment
COVID-19 and Mental Health: Where do we go from here? – Episode 67 – The Oxford Comment
The effects of COVID-19 reach far beyond mortality, triggering widespread economic and sociopolitical consequences. It is unsurprising to learn, after everything that has transpired in the past two years, that COVID-19 has also had a detrimental effect on our mental health. Recent studies in the US and UK have shown a huge increase in the … Continue reading COVID-19 and Mental Health: Where do we go from here? – Episode 67 – The Oxford Comment →
Nov 30 2021
45 mins
What is the impact of opening research? – Episode 66 – The Oxford Comment
What is the impact of opening research? – Episode 66 – The Oxford Comment
Open research means faster, more equitable access to cutting edge findings, driving disciplines forward, and introducing transparency into the research process. As the world’s largest university press publisher of open access content, Oxford University Press believes a more open world should work for everyone. Over the past few years, the movement has grown to encompass … Continue reading What is the impact of opening research? – Episode 66 – The Oxford Comment →
Oct 26 2021
43 mins
What is Public Debt? – Episode 65 – The Oxford Comment
What is Public Debt? – Episode 65 – The Oxford Comment
What do you think of when you hear the term “public debt?” If you’re familiar with the phrase, you might think about elected officials debating budgets and how to pay for goods and services. Or maybe it’s a vague concept you don’t fully understand. For today’s episode of The Oxford Comment, we spoke with In … Continue reading What is Public Debt? – Episode 65 – The Oxford Comment →
Sep 28 2021
45 mins
The Power of Words – Episode 64 – The Oxford Comment
The Power of Words – Episode 64 – The Oxford Comment
We’re all familiar with the phrase “words have power”—but in a political and cultural climate where we become more aware of the power that money, influence, and privilege have every day—how do people wield the power of words? On this episode of The Oxford Comment, we spoke with philosopher Myisha Cherry and poet Carmen Bugan … Continue reading The Power of Words – Episode 64 – The Oxford Comment →
Aug 31 2021
1 hr 6 mins
The Neuroscience of Human Consciousness – Episode 63 – The Oxford Comment
The Neuroscience of Human Consciousness – Episode 63 – The Oxford Comment
On today’s episode of The Oxford Comment, we focused on human consciousness and how studying the neurological basis for human cognition can lead not only to better health but a better understanding of human culture, language, and society as well. We are joined today by Dr. John Parrington, author of the newly published book Mind … Continue reading The Neuroscience of Human Consciousness – Episode 63 – The Oxford Comment →
Jul 27 2021
44 mins
Ocean Health: Life and Livelihoods – Episode 62 – The Oxford Comment
Ocean Health: Life and Livelihoods – Episode 62 – The Oxford Comment
June is National Ocean Month in the United States, and earlier this month, the whole world observed World Oceans Day, a day that has been celebrated since 2008 with a different theme each year. The theme for 2021 was “Life and Livelihoods.” Covering 71% of the earth’s surface, the ocean is home to a vast … Continue reading Ocean Health: Life and Livelihoods – Episode 62 – The Oxford Comment →
Jun 29 2021
43 mins
The SHAPE of Things – Episode 61 – The Oxford Comment
The SHAPE of Things – Episode 61 – The Oxford Comment
In January, Oxford University Press announced its support for SHAPE, a new collective name for the humanities, arts, and social sciences and an equivalent term to STEM. SHAPE stands for Social Sciences, Humanities, and the Arts for People and the Economy and aims to underline the value that these disciplines bring to society. Over the … Continue reading The SHAPE of Things – Episode 61 – The Oxford Comment →
May 25 2021
52 mins
Environmental Histories and Potential Futures – Episode 60 – The Oxford Comment
Environmental Histories and Potential Futures – Episode 60 – The Oxford Comment
The academic fields of both environmental history and future studies originated in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s during the rise of the mainstream environmental movement. On today’s episode of The Oxford Comment, we are joined by environmental historian Erin Stewart Mauldin, author Unredeemed Land: An Environmental History of Civil War and Emancipation in the … Continue reading Environmental Histories and Potential Futures – Episode 60 – The Oxford Comment →
Apr 27 2021
41 mins
Government Transparency and the Freedom of Information – Episode 59 – The Oxford Comment
Government Transparency and the Freedom of Information – Episode 59 – The Oxford Comment
Last episode of The Oxford Comment, we talked about Open Access and the importance of the accessibility of academic research for the betterment of society. This episode, we are joined by Himanshu Jha, the author of Capturing Institutional Change: The Case of the Right to Information Act in India, and Vivien A. Schmidt, the author … Continue reading Government Transparency and the Freedom of Information – Episode 59 – The Oxford Comment →
Mar 30 2021
50 mins
Open Access – Episode 58 – The Oxford Comment
Open Access – Episode 58 – The Oxford Comment
On this episode of The Oxford Comment, Rhiannon Meaden, a Senior Publisher for Journals at OUP, and Danny Altmann, editor-in-chief of Oxford Open Immunology, cover the basics of Open Access, OUP’s drive to disseminate academic research as widely as possible, and how easily-accessible research has impacted various academic fields around the world. This last fact … Continue reading Open Access – Episode 58 – The Oxford Comment →
Jan 26 2021
34 mins
Voter Fraud and Election Meddling – Episode 57 – The Oxford Comment
Voter Fraud and Election Meddling – Episode 57 – The Oxford Comment
On this episode of The Oxford Comment, we spoke with three scholars who specialize in electoral intervention, voter turnout, and voting laws. Caroline Tolbert and Michael Ritter, co-authors of Accessible Elections: How the States Can Help Americans Vote, and Dov Levin, author of Meddling in the Ballot Box: The Causes and Effects of Partisan Electoral … Continue reading Voter Fraud and Election Meddling – Episode 57 – The Oxford Comment →
Oct 27 2020
44 mins
Urban Studies, City Life, and COVID-19 – Episode 56 – The Oxford Comment
Urban Studies, City Life, and COVID-19 – Episode 56 – The Oxford Comment
On this episode of The Oxford Comment, we spoke with three scholars involved in the launch of the upcoming Oxford Bibliographies in Urban Studies. Editor-in-Chief Richard Dilworth and authors Zack Taylor (“Toronto”) and James Mansell (“Urban Soundscapes”) discussed the new OBO subject at large, their individual contributions, and attempted to answer for us the question … Continue reading Urban Studies, City Life, and COVID-19 – Episode 56 – The Oxford Comment →
Aug 24 2020
41 mins
Art and Theater After Stonewall – Episode 55 – The Oxford Comment
Art and Theater After Stonewall – Episode 55 – The Oxford Comment
On this episode of The Oxford Comment, we spoke with Elizabeth Wollman, author of “Hard Times: The Adult Musical in 1970s New York City,” and Micah Salkind, author of “Do You Remember House?: Chicago’s Queer of Color Undergrounds,” on the convergence of LBGTQ culture and art, especially in the aftermath of the 1969 Stonewall riots … Continue reading Art and Theater After Stonewall – Episode 55 – The Oxford Comment →
Jun 22 2020
41 mins
Earth Day at 50: Conservation, Spirituality, and Climate Change – Episode 54 – The Oxford Comment
Earth Day at 50: Conservation, Spirituality, and Climate Change – Episode 54 – The Oxford Comment
On this episode, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. We spoke with Ted Steinberg, author of “Down to Earth: Nature’s Role in American History,” Belden Lane, author of “The Great Conversation: Nature and the Care of the Soul,” Lufti Radwan of Willowbrook Farm, and Buddy Huffaker, executive director of the Aldo Leopold Foundation, … Continue reading Earth Day at 50: Conservation, Spirituality, and Climate Change – Episode 54 – The Oxford Comment →
Apr 20 2020
35 mins
Taking a Knee: Sports and Activism – Episode 53 – The Oxford Comment
Taking a Knee: Sports and Activism – Episode 53 – The Oxford Comment
On this episode, we examine the difficulties athletes face when they speak out on hot-button subjects with the help of documentary filmmaker Trish Dalton, co-director and co-producer of HBO Sports’ “Student Athlete,” and Robert Turner, author of “Not For Long: The Life and Career of the NFL Athlete.” Activism can be incredibly difficult in professional … Continue reading Taking a Knee: Sports and Activism – Episode 53 – The Oxford Comment →
Jan 27 2020
39 mins
Based On A True Story – Episode 52 – The Oxford Comment
Based On A True Story – Episode 52 – The Oxford Comment
On this episode, we examine the significant role of academic consultants within television and movies, with the help of author and consultant, Diana Walsh Pasulka.  The use of consultants on set has steadily increased since the early twentieth century, and we investigate why this trend has become a popular practice, and how it impacts the … Continue reading Based On A True Story – Episode 52 – The Oxford Comment →
Jan 30 2019
33 mins